Actually met the entire band at a rock club in Athens after a rehearsal in Athens last night. Really friendly and smiling ! Nice guys ! Sat for photos etc. And it was nice to see Tolkki smiling and shaking hands and hugging people and singing along to various tunes !

Some other "sounds" bit of weird mix (vocals too high) but these must be karaoke. We 'll find out soon, I guess.

But they said they 'll play some nice "pre" Koti Strato and some later day stuff ! "Dreamspace" I think was mentioned and that's a firm favorite ! But they also said it had a bit from every album. So should be a nice best of.

Actually met the entire band at a rock club in Athens after a rehearsal in Athens last night. Really friendly and smiling ! Nice guys ! Sat for photos etc. And it was nice to see Tolkki smiling and shaking hands and hugging people and singing along to various tunes !

Some other "sounds" bit of weird mix (vocals too high) but these must be karaoke. We 'll find out soon, I guess.

But they said they 'll play some nice "pre" Koti Strato and some later day stuff ! "Dreamspace" I think was mentioned and that's a firm favorite ! But they also said it had a bit from every album. So should be a nice best of.

By the way a picture from rehearsals !

Looks promising! Although it doesn't look like the years have been too kind to Mr. Timo...

Hoping the tour goes well, but I'm hoping TT has some luck on future projects, if only to stop all these passive aggressive subtitles that are screaming "I'm the real Strato, not those guys, listen to me, pretty please"

I'm happy to see Tolkki back, tho we have had an argument years ago and, since that, he has blocked me on Facebook.
I've read a lot of thing 'bout his wife Dominika and the strange going on during last years so I hope he's doing ok.

BUT

First of all I don't like this project, well, I want to see if he can play his stuff, 'cause I believe his skills have decreased considerably (based on his last projects where his playing was very sloppy), it's obviously a pretext to remark the ownership of classic Strato songs.The proof is the need to underline that he will play the songs in their original key, a defiance toward Kotipelto.

Second I believe that the singer is awful, I've listen to his cover and Strato stuff is too much for him, he can't handle this songs.
I mean, listen to Father Time and Speed of Light, he sounds stretched and out of his comfort zone, he has no thickness in his voice and I can clearly hear a lot of autotune and post production.He's just fine for YouTube, I'm sorry, and I can't believe that Tolkki has hired a "internet singer"(well, I believe he need someone who can't compete with him on the stage, he need to be the leading actor.

Third I believe that Tolkki need to concentrate on his career instead of pursuing his past, even though, as I stated before, I'm curious about his actual level of playing.

Second I believe that the singer is awful, I've listen to his cover and Strato stuff is too much for him, he can't handle this songs.
I mean, listen to Father Time and Speed of Light, he sounds stretched and out of his comfort zone, he has no thickness in his voice and I can clearly hear a lot of autotune and post production.He's just fine for YouTube, I'm sorry, and I can't believe that Tolkki has hired a "internet singer"(well, I believe he need someone who can't compete with him on the stage, he need to be the leading actor.

Second I believe that the singer is awful, I've listen to his cover and Strato stuff is too much for him, he can't handle this songs.
I mean, listen to Father Time and Speed of Light, he sounds stretched and out of his comfort zone, he has no thickness in his voice and I can clearly hear a lot of autotune and post production.He's just fine for YouTube, I'm sorry, and I can't believe that Tolkki has hired a "internet singer"(well, I believe he need someone who can't compete with him on the stage, he need to be the leading actor.

Well, Alex, Santtu and Mikko did a nice job but Mike and Timo...well, they sounds like amateur musicians.
Ok, Livas maybe is an amateur, but he sings everytime out of tune since he can't reach and handle well highest note.He sounds forced as fuck, like a hen.Let's see how he can improve.
About Timo I don't know, maybe he was tired, maybe he wasn't there with his brain and out of shape, but solo parts are sloppy, too much sloppy,
A bad gig, at least to me.
I'm curious about Salonica, Sofia and Madrid shows, let's see if someone will upload videos.
Nice setlist tho(but this is not a tour for his career, maybe is a:"Timo Tolkki plays songs from his career in Stratovarius".He left 10 years ago and he can choose among 3 RR records, 1 Symfonia, 2 solo projects plus Avalon, strangely he has chosen only songs from Strato records)

''As already known, Mike Livas (Maidenance, Fortress Under Siege) is the man chosen by Timo Tolkki (ex - Stratovarius, Revolution Renaissance, Symfonia, Timo Tolkki's Avalon, etc.) to be behind The new band's microphone. HardMusic.GR becomes the first site spoken by the Greek singer for his success:

Mike first congratulates you on your choice of Timo Tolkki as his band's singer. Tell us what is happening, are we talking about something about the Athens concert or something more stable?

First of all thank you for your good words! We are talking about a tour that will begin April 21 with Athens first stop and will continue in Europe until mid-May (some dates have already been announced in Spain and will be announced in other countries soon). There will also be a festival in the summer, one of which has been officially announced (in Slovakia). There are suggestions to make some dates from September.

It is a great success. How did it occur;

Tolkki was interested in listening to my vocals on Stratovarius, having first heard an older version of me in Queensryche. So I sent him some samples and that's how it happened.

Have you found / started rehearsals, have you formed a more "close" image than what many people know?

We have not been found yet, so I can not know such details. A few days before the Athens live, as far as I know, we will start rehearsals!

Is it a vindication for you to choose from such an artist?

It is a vindication and certainly a great responsibility to play next to such a great and respected musician and I will do my best.

What can we expect on April 21 at Piraeus 117 Academy?

Wait for a setlist based primarily on old, good Stratovarius!

Do we lose you from Maidenance and Fortress Under Siege?

Of course not ! Just as I am preparing for a new music project - a band with some very good friends and great musicians! Stay tuned \ m /

Well, Alex, Santtu and Mikko did a nice job but Mike and Timo...well, they sounds like amateur musicians.
Ok, Livas maybe is an amateur, but he sings everytime out of tune since he can't reach and handle well highest note.He sounds forced as fuck, like a hen.Let's see how he can improve.

Yep, really sorry to say that, but I seriously don't know if I would have been able to stand more than just one song. Don't want to imagine how it must have been in some of the other songs when he was already out of tune during the whole Hunting. But maybe he'll get used to it during the other shows.

I think that if Mr. Livas was chosen, it's not just for the shows, but also that Mr. Tolkki probably thinks he has potential for his next solo album. Maybe the tour is also to give Mr. Livas some experience and test the ground.

''With worldwide exclusivity, Myth of Rock brings you a very pleasant new one, which will leave many people speechless and surprised. Singer in the new, personal band of great Timo Tolkki (ex - Stratovarius, Revolution Renaissance, Symfonia, Timo Tolkki 's Avalon etc) is our Mike Livas (Maidenance, Keepers of Jericho, Fortress Under Siege, Crusade of Steel Etc.)! The talented Greek singer was chosen by Stratovarius' former mastermind to take over vocals in his new band, which, as they all seem, will be called simply Timo Tolkki Band. The extraordinary and enormous influential Finnish guitarist, composer, producer, and so on. Had posted an "ad" on his Facebook personal page, seeking a singer for his new solo effort, asking candidates to send him their audio / video material. Among so many people who responded to Tolkki's call was Mike Livas, with whom the famous guitarist was excited and chose him without a second thought. At Timo Tolkki Band we find musicians from the European power metal: the Mikko Härkin (formerly Sonata Arctica), drums by Alex Landenburg (Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, former Stratovarius, Symfonia, etc.), bass Santtu Lehtiniemi (producer of the last two albums of Revolution Renaissance et al.).

Tolkki intends to tour with his new band and of course to release an album (s). In fact, Timo Tolkki Band will be playing live in Athens on April 21, 2017 at the Piraeus 117 Academy. This is a T-R-A-S-T-I-A distinction for Mike Livas and for the Greek metal scene! Congratulations to Mike, we expect their live in Greece and of course their album !!!''

Hey,
So uum, my personal view on the Athens concert is also bittersweet - for obvious reasons for those who were there - but I was not bothered by Livas' singing ? Like, at all. But maybe I'm less exigent and I'm generally focusing on the overall result. Personally I had fun during the concert. :0
Mr. Tolkki was - very - stressed in Athens, and I heard stuff about not sleeping the day before. Also it was the first concert and Alex said he felt that two hours might be a bit too much for a start after so much time.

Now I'm seeing links to greek interviews roughly google translated. Is anyone Really interested in any better translation ? Because I can do that. The google trad texts aren't too long ~

Like it's known by now, Mike Livas (Maidenance, Fortress Under Siege) is the man chosen by Timo Tolkki (ex – Stratovarius, Revolution Renaissance, Symfonia, Timo Tolkki’ s Avalon etc.) to stand behind the microphone of the new band. HardMusic.GR is the first site where the greek singer can talk about this success of his.
Mike, first of all congratulations being chosen by Timo Tolkki for the role of singer in his band. Tell us exactly what's going in on, are we talking about something that concerns the Athens concert or something more stable?

[Mike speaking]: First of all thank you for your good words! We're talking about a tour that will start on April 21 with Athens as its first stop and will continue in Europe until mid-May. (they have announced dates for Spain and they will announce other countries soon) There will also be some festivals during the summer among which one had officially been announced (in Slovakia). There are suggestions for some dates around September too.

[Rep]: This is a big success, how did that happen?
[Mike]: Tolkki got interested in hearing my vocals on Stratovarius pieces after he first heard my vocals on my old Queensryche cover. So I sent him some samples and that's how it went.

[Rep]: You've met/ started rehearsals , you've formed a “closer' image, from what most people usually know ? (tr.note: the “you” is addressing only to Livas )
[Mike]: We haven't met up close yet so I can't really know about these kind of details. Few days before the live we'll start rehearsals from what I know !

[Rep]: Is it a proof or recognition for you to have been chosen by such a great artist?
[Mike]: It sure is and also a big responsibility to be playing next to a so big and well established musician and I'll do my best on my side.

[Rep]: What do we have to expect at the Pireus 117 Academy on the 21th of April ?
[Mike]: You can expect a setlist based on the oldest, good Stratovarius !

[Rep]: Do we lose you from Maidenance and Fortress Under Siege ?
[Mike]: No of course ! As we speak I am preparing a new musical project, – a band with some very good friends and great musicians ! - stay tuned ! \m/

In worldwide exclusivity, Myth of Rock is going to reveal some very good news which will leave many people surprised or speechless. The singer in the great musician Timo Tolkki's new, personal band, is our Mike Livas ! The talented greek singer was chosen by the ex mastermind of Stratovarius to take on the vocals in his new band, which, as things look, will be simply named Timo Tolkki's band. The extraordinary and greatly influential Finnish guitarist, composer, producer etc. had posted an “announcement” on his personal facebook page in which he mentioned looking for a singer for his upcoming solo try, asking of them to send their audio/video material. Between many other who responded to Tolkki's calling was Mike Livas, with whom the known guitar player was impressed and chose him without a second thought. In Tolkki's band we can find top notch musicians or the european power metal scene: On keyboard is Mikko Härkin (ex Sonata Arctica), on drums is Alex Landenburg (now Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, ex Stratovarius, Symfonia etc.), on bass is Santtu Lehtiniemi (producer of the two latest Revolution Renaissance etc.). Tolkki plans to tour with his new band and of course, release albums. Indeed, Timo Tolkki's band is goinf to play on April 21th 2017 at the Pireus 117 Academy. It's an E-N-O-R-M-O-U-S distinction for Mike Livas and the greek power metal scene ! Congratulations to Mike, we're waiting for this live in Greece and of course their album !!!

So there you go, over excited proud greek people about their greek singer ~
I had found a review of the concert in Athens yesterday or two days go which was much more bittersweet.
I still maintain that I had fun still, even though, the more I thought about that evening, the saddest I got.

I hope that Mr. Tolkki won't do like what the Rhapsody of fire band did with their new singer and let Mr. Livas sing old Stratovarius songs on his next solo album. He's got to come up with new material, there's so much possibilities with Mr. Liva's voice.

You're welcome, it's good training for me, i almost never use greek anymore and I need practice :B

I was sad because I'm a very empathetic person and I saw Tolkki backstage for like 3 minutes and he told me he recovered and felt much better but he was more stressed than my shy self. I at least have no regrets going to the concert!

I really hope he won't, don't even get me started with RoF... Now I don't know if the album thing is a reality, Wait and see I suppose

Seeing him live was so sad. Like, he couldn't move or play solos, and he kept having to sit down. He is also the heaviest he has ever been from what I can tell.

I feel bad for him.

He mentioned somewhere being seriously sick for the last years but no details wether it was mental of physical.
But yes, Alex said that live play is Very tiring and very physical and even he, who works out, is exhausted after - he's a drummer tho I guess it's super physical for him - so imagine Tolkki, not having performed in years and with his current mass. I can't blame him for sitting.
In Athens he didn't sit before the second half of the concert but that led to stopping 2-3 songs before the end. (+ the fact that he was apparently panicked as I said )

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